Halloween may be around the corner, but the Christmas Bureau is already taking online applications from some recipients
Christmas is still weeks away, but plans for this year’s annual Christmas Bureau at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center is already ramping up and online applications for grocery vouchers are being accepted from adults with no children in the home.
The annual event, a collaborative effort between Catholic Charities, Volunteers of America and The Spokesman-Review, provides $30 grocery store vouchers for families as well as a toy and a book for each child. However, each year there are a number of single adults and couples with no children living with them who also seek help, receiving a grocery voucher to help them have a little extra for the holiday.
Christmas Bureau organizers have once again opened online applications early for single adults and couples with no children who would like to receive a grocery store voucher in the mail so they don’t have to visit the fairgrounds and stand in line once the Bureau opens in mid-December.
Adults with no children can visit christmasbureauspokane.org and click on “Receive Assistance” to complete an application. The application can be filled out online or printed and then mailed to Christmas Bureau, PO Box 2253, Spokane, WA 99210. There are no income requirements.
The online application deadline is Nov. 3, and there is a limit of one per household. If the deadline is missed, people are welcome to come to the Christmas Bureau when it is open from Dec. 11-18 at the Fair and Expo Center.
Christmas Bureau Coordinator Heidi Meany said there have already been more than 2,200 online applications received. Accepting online applications early is becoming a more popular option in its fourth year, Meany said. Last year, around 2,800 early applications were received.
“We’re off to a good start,” she said. “I think they’re getting the hang of it.”
The Christmas Bureau, now in its 79th year, has long provided a Christmas boost to families in need. In 2024, the Bureau assisted 27,083 people in 8,576 households, 12,601 of whom were children. Donors from across the country contributed to raise $582,417.86 last year.
Christmas Bureau organizers are also already asking for donations of pajamas, which are given out as long as supplies last.
A big push last year resulted in the donation of 4,373 pairs of pajamas, about triple the amount usually collected. Organizers are hoping to push that number even higher this year.
“We actually have had a steady stream of pajamas over the summer,” Meany said. “We probably have a couple hundred pairs.”
Organizers are looking for donations of infant and child-size pajamas. They must be new, with the tags on. People can do everything from buying a few pairs to organizing a pajama drive at their school, church or business. Donations can be dropped off anytime between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday at Catholic Charities, 12 E. Fifth Ave.
Meany said they have been receiving inquiries from people about volunteering, but the volunteer roster for this year’s event is already complete.
“We’re full already for volunteers,” she said. “It’s a good problem to have.”
She recommends that people visit the Christmas Bureau website in January if they are interested in signing up to volunteer next year. All volunteers must pass a background check.
Meany said she is expecting the need for assistance to be high this year as people struggle with rising grocery prices and inflation.
“Obviously, it’s bad out there,” she said. “It’s a time of high need and uncertainty. We’re just hoping to alleviate a little bit of stress for folks.”